Smart Money

Robinson is a barber who owns his own barbershop, but who goes off to gamble with some real card-sharks. He goes to the hotel where the action is and meets the girl at the magazine counter who tells him what room the game is in, after the desk clerk tells him nothing like that is allowed in this hotel. Little does Edward know what's in store for him. Of course Robinson, as the barber, is great, and James Cagney is a secondary character with not much development to make him really interesting. But, it's Robinson that makes this film worth watching. He has such presence, and this is only a sample of what is yet to come in his career. The only problem I have with it is that its ending is rather anti-climatic. But as usual Robinson has the flair to take it all in stride and he makes the viewer feel honored to watch a master of his craft at work.

Smart Money (1931)

A clever story about crime and misguided love (quasi-love) and about the love of money. What's wrong with that? Nothing here. With a remarkable performance by Edward G. Robinson (as usual), and supporting roles by a young James Cagney and a series of blondes who will more or less look alike at first. It might have been something of a formula production for the cast and crew, but it's during the lively pre-1934 sound era where, especially at a studio like Warner Bros., things manage to pop one way or another.

As much as this is a very good film, completely engaging and without gaffes or sentimental slow downs, it remains secondary for 1931 because of several interesting things. First, Robinson had just become famous for "Little Caesar" where he had a shining (and roughly similar) role as a sort of good guy gangster. Second, Cagney was in a rare supporting role, not yet famous for his breakout role in "The Public Enemy" later the same year. Both of these Warner films are better, all around. And a third twist is the appearance early on of Boris Karloff, who was about to launch to superstardom as, yes, "Frankenstein," a Universal film from later in, yes, 1931.

But you should watch "Smart Money" for what it does so well--tells a fast, multi-layered story with economy and life, and with great performances by the leads. The story and direction might fall short of classic, but it's still really solid.

This is a nicely tailored story about the rise of Nick the Barber( a real barber)from the small gambling environs of Irontown to his rise to the big time gambling scene. Several things distinguish this film from just another mob movie. And that is just it for starters. This is not a mob movie. Edward G. Robinson's Nick is one of the kindest, most liked, and honest "crime" bosses you will ever see in film. Eddie doesn't shoot it up - in fact no one is murdered(Okay, I'm being a stickler here). This film also shows how difficult gambling can be as a profession. But at the film's heart is Robinson's performance. Nick is a sweet, at times naive, resilient guy with a weak/blind spot for pretty blondes. Aiding Eddie is none other than Jimmy Cagney playing Jack his friend and fellow business associate. Alfred E. Green does a rather deft job directing this very early sound picture. The pace is fast and the mood never compromised. The rest of the cast is quite good. Boris Karloff has a bizarre cameo as a man that has something Eddie just had - but we never know why Boris had it. It's a treat seeing Karloff and Robinson and Cagney in a brief yet memorable scene.

Smart Money is famous for the teaming of Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney in the only time they shared the screen. Both men had just come off their breakthrough performances in Little Caesar and Public Enemy respectively. Of the two of them, Robinson comes off far the better.

I'm not sure why Cagney did this film, more than likely because he was told to and was not yet rebelling against Jack Warner. He's strangely subdued in the part, the usual Cagney bounce and cockiness just isn't there for me.

Cagney plays the best friend of Greek barber Edward G. Robinson who in his career played any number of ethnic types. Here he's a happy go lucky barber whose place doubles as a betting establishment. He likes to play, but when friends raise a bankroll for him to try his luck in the big city he gets good and clipped.

Robinson's down, but not out. He goes back and clips the clippers and becomes a big gambling racketeer. Problems do arise when he and Cagney quarrel over the same woman.

It's definitely Robinson's picture, maybe it's why Cagney and he never worked together again. I would like to have seen them both in a film with a more typical Jimmy Cagney.

Still when it's broadcast it should not be missed.

Two very famous little guys playing cocky guys - Edward G. Robinson and Jimmy Cagney; who could ask for anything more? Well, maybe a little more Cagney, as he is just a supporting player here, but overall I had no complaints watching this 1931 film.

Robinson was great in the lead as "Nick the Barber," (full name "Nick Venizelos.") Cagney is "Jack," an old friend who is employed by Nick. The Greek is a barber, but he's really a full-time gambler or evolves into that role quickly during this story. He goes from small-town hick to big city boss but the road is bumpy along the way. He gets taken by the big crook in town twice, gets hustled by a couple of blondes (Nick's real weakness) but overcomes all of them to be gambling czar.

After Nick's successful jaunts at revenge are completed, the last third of the film is devoted to the city's district attorney trying to get some goods on Nick and put him away and get him out of his city.

This movie, as expected considering the year it was made, is very dated but another of those early '30s films that has a lot of snap, crackle and pop to it. The dialog is crisp and edgy with the expressions of the day and everybody is just nasty enough to make them all interesting characters.

Robinson, as in "Little Caesar," is super in here, much like the cocky gangster roles Cagney also would play in the same period ("The Public Enemy," "Lady Killer," etc.).

The blondes all look similar with the short curly hair of the period and the sexism, racism and other "isms" are all on display here in this fun "gangster movie." The ending was odd but that, too, was the mark of these Pre-Code films which certainly were different.

Now that it's out on DVD, check this film out if you're a fan of the early crime genre, or a fan of Robinson's. You won't be disappointed.